The NASCAR championships are awarded at the end of each season to the driver who has amassed the most points throughout the season. The point totals are determined each week by the drivers' final positions in a race and the number of laps led by each driver, if any, during the race. The current points system, adopted by NASCAR in1975, is still used in the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck series, and was used through2003in the Cup Series. Since2004the NEXTEL Cup series has implemented slight scoring changes and a ten-race "playoff" format.

Since its founding in 1948, NASCAR has held 92 combined seasons in its three major series with a total of 51 separate champions. The first championship awarded was toRed Byronin1949.Greg Biffle,Bobby LabonteandJohnny Bensonare the only drivers to have won championships in two of the three series during their NASCAR career. Biffle has come the closest to winning all three (past champion of Busch and Craftsman Truck series and runner-up in the2005NEXTEL Cup), but this feat has yet to be accomplished.